Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Cake (Printer-Friendly)
Moist coffee cake layered with cinnamon sugar and crunchy toasted pecans, perfect for breakfast or afternoon snacking.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crunch Topping and Filling
01 - 1 cup chopped pecans
02 - 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Cake Batter
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or a 9-inch round springform pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and melted butter. Mix until crumbly and set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and sour cream to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
07 - Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon pecan crunch mixture over the batter.
08 - Spread the remaining batter over the filling layer and top with the remaining cinnamon pecan crunch mixture, pressing gently.
09 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
10 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing and serving warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cinnamon pecan layer inside the cake is a surprise that makes every slice feel like opening a gift.
- Sour cream keeps the crumb ridiculously tender without any fancy techniques.
- It freezes beautifully, which means you can stash half of it and pretend you were being responsible.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour is the fastest way to turn this tender cake into something rubbery and sad.
- Room temperature eggs and sour cream blend into the batter far more smoothly than cold ones, which can cause curdling.
03 -
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes before mixing them into the topping, because raw pecans taste flat by comparison.
- Wet your spatula or offset knife with a little water when spreading the second layer of batter, as it glides over the crunchy filling without dragging it around.